What to Do If a Dataset Sync Is Stuck or Taking Too Long
Dataset syncs can take anywhere from a few minutes to several hours depending on how much data is being retrieved. This article explains how to tell whether a sync is genuinely stuck, what your options are, and when to reach out to NinjaCat Support.
How Long Should a Sync Take?
Sync duration depends on several factors, including:
- The number of accounts included in the dataset
- The date range and historical depth being retrieved
- The provider's API performance and rate limits
- The overall volume of data being processed
Large initial backfills — especially across many accounts or a long date range — can legitimately run for an extended period. A sync that is still running is not necessarily stuck.
Checking Sync Status
You can monitor a dataset's sync from its detail page:
Data Cloud → Datasets → (select your dataset) → Sync status
Look at the status indicator for the dataset:
- In progress / Syncing — the sync is actively running. Large jobs can stay in this state for a while.
- Completed / Success — the most recent sync finished successfully.
- Failed / Error — the sync did not complete. Check for any error detail shown on the dataset, and see the guidance below.
Can I Cancel a Sync That's Running?
No. Canceling or aborting an in-progress dataset sync is not currently supported. Once a sync has started, it must run to completion (or fail on its own). There is no cancel or stop control in the product today.
Because a running sync cannot be canceled, the best approach is to let it finish rather than attempting to restart or reconfigure the dataset mid-sync.
What to Do If a Sync Appears Stuck
- Give it time. Large syncs — particularly first-time backfills over many accounts or a wide date range — can take several hours. A long-running sync is often still working normally.
- Don't repeatedly recreate or reconfigure the dataset. Since syncs can't be canceled, making changes mid-sync won't speed things up and can add confusion. Let the current run complete first.
- Check the status again later. Re-open the dataset's Sync status to see whether it has progressed, completed, or moved to a failed state.
- If a sync appears stuck or is taking longer than expected: You can try triggering a manual sync. Navigate to the dataset, open the More Actions menu (⋮), and select Manually Sync Data… → Sync Data. Note that this does not cancel the in-progress sync — it queues a new sync request. If the issue persists, contact Support.
When to Contact Support
Reach out to NinjaCat Support if:
- A sync has been running far longer than expected for the amount of data involved, with no sign of progress
- The sync shows a Failed / Error state and you're not sure why
- You need a sync to be investigated or restarted on the backend
- You're unsure whether a sync is genuinely stuck
When you contact Support, please include the dataset name, the accounts and providers involved, the date range, and roughly when the sync started. That information helps us investigate quickly.